For a Future Not Set in Stone
by Sandylee007
Summary: ALTERED ENDING TO 'DAYS OF FUTURE PAST', SO SPOILERS. What if the debris did more damage on Charles? In those desperate moments he does whatever he can to leave the world and Erik with a better future. Even if he won't be a part of it. POTENTIAL CHARACTER DEATH. ONESHOT


A/N: Awkay… I just saw the movie yesterday and I HAD TO type this. Because for a moment there I really, truly feared that Charles might not survive. All that debris on him sure did look terrifying! (shudders)

WARNINGS: **DAYS OF THE FUTURE PAST SPOILERS.** Possible character death. Feels?

DISCLAIMER: Yeeeeeeeah, right… I'd be jumping through the ceiling right now if I did own anything. My ceiling is still very much undamaged. (pouts)

Awkay, before I change my mind… (takes a deep breath) Let's go! I truly hope that you'll enjoy the ride!

* * *

**_For a Future Not Set in Stone_**

* * *

The moment all the weight crashes mercilessly on top of Charles he knows that the damage is bad, even if his legs are in no condition to report. Pain explodes somewhere around his abdomen, somehow managing to spread all the way through him. For a long time, a lifetime it seems, he lingers somewhere between fading out and wakefulness.

He nearly lets go, too. But then something echoes in his foggy, disconnecting head. The words spin around, light as a whisper yet strong as a thunderstorm.

* * *

/ _"__You took the things that meant the most to me."_

_"Maybe you should have fought harder for them."_ /

* * *

A one more spark bursts into life inside the crushed body.

Charles can feel himself slipping away. Body, soul, his abilities. There, in what he very well expects to be his last moments, he uses absolutely all of his focus and willpower. Decides that he'll do whatever he can to make sure that the future he's been warned of won't come to pass. That there'll be days of hope and peace, even if he won't be a part of them.

It's a mighty battle but Charles is able to reach out to Raven, to give her a one more nudge towards a better path and a subtle goodbye. By some miracle he's even able to hold on to Erik's wild, protesting mind for a moment. He then focuses further, and whatever the world saw Erik doing during the past few minutes disappears from existence. Instead he leaves Raven, saving the president from a experiment gone horribly wrong.

Finally, with whatever little there's left of him, Charles concentrates once more. Gathers together bits and pieces of the dreams he still has left. Of a future that he still wants to believe in, from the bottom of his broken heart. Hopes of happiness, peace and days without fear. He sends out all of that, wishing with his all that the world sees and understands. Because although the road won't be easy he is determined to believe that a war isn't the only possible path ahead.

He wants to leave behind something more than that.

With a deep, exhausted breath Charles has given everything he has to offer. He blinks slowly and muses that he should probably worry about how blurry his line of vision is becoming. Hank is looming above him with an expression of quite open terror. The young mutant's lips are moving but the words are nothing but static to the telepath's ears. He tries to push his mind one more time, attempts to offer a brush of comfort. _It's alright. We did it._

And then Erik slumps to his side, blood staining his neck. The metal bender's boiling emotions, no longer confined by the horrendous helmet, slam at him with almost the same force as the debris that was crushing him only moments ago. The taller man's lips open several times but no sound comes out. Or perhaps he's beyond hearing.

Charles looks into his friend's eyes and far beyond them. Sees the soul hiding underneath, hidden by layers and layers of concrete hard defences but struggling to break through. He sees a spark of hope that's so bright it almost steals whatever little he's still able to see. Sees the hope that he was begged to find again. And he smiles, even though he still feels that his very life is slipping away from him. "Promise me, Erik…", he whispers. "That you won't forget… Promise me that you'll see…"

Erik frowns. The man's eyes are moist and that whole tall frame… It's shaking so badly. "See what?"

Charles reaches out, lays two unsteady fingers to his forehead although it's almost more than his body can handle. He blinks and is a bit stunned when his eyes open again. "There's so much more, to this world… than pain and anger."

Right there Charles uses up every last drop of strength he has left. He closes his eyes and concentrates on the images spinning around in his shutting down mind. In those few precious and rapidly slipping away moments he sends Erik the very best he's ever found from the minds of humans.

Because there in the sea of darkness are also countless radiant beacons of light.

He finishes the broadcast that's highly likely his last one with glimpses of the school he dreamt of starting. Of students that have finally found their place in the world that isn't quite ready from them just yet. Of _home_.

_They don't need a war, Erik. They need a home. So promise me, Erik, that you'll see. That you'll offer them what I can't._

He feels, like an echo, a hand squeezing his. It's trembling and the onslaught of fear, agony, grief and remorse might crush him if he wasn't so far gone already. Everything's sliding away.

"CHARLES!"

Charles wishes that there was more time. That he'd been able to actually see if they managed to do enough to change the future. But he's done everything he could and he's at peace with that thought.

Because in every bit of his fading away being he feels _hope_.

_… "Charles…!" …_

And he falls into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

**_End._**

* * *

A/N: Oh dear… (takes a deep breath) Now that was emotional. It did, however, leave the ending a tiny bit open. Because like Charles, I want to have hope. (smiles)

Soooo… Was that any good? Or should I just delete this from the world of fandom and destroy all evidence? Please, do leave a note to let me know!  
In any case, thank you so much for reading! Who knows, maybe I'll see you guys again.

Take care!


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